The Exiled Dragon
Mate

Creed

My hand went up to scratch my face as some of the salt spread around my body tickled my nose, only to replace that my hands were stuck to the ground. "For your protection," Glinda began stirring something in a small bowl in her hand. "You cannot move and try your best to control your dragon. We will bypass him and going straight for your soul. He protects you. He will want to fight back. We've also put a shield around the area, just in case he lets his presence known." The more Glinda talked, the more I became troubled. My dragon could hear everything she was saying, and being restrained was enough to stir his concern. He was an animal, not completely understanding that another species was going to help us. Our own kind pushed us away, and we have been alone for too long to for him to understand the help we were about to receive.

"Ready," one of her sisters said. Three of the others gathered their hands together while Glinda chanted words I had never heard. Her words became powerful until she dipped her finger into a black sludge that clung to her finger. Kneeling down beside my body, she took her finger and positioned it over my heart. "Goddess Hecate, I provoke thee." Her finger hitting my chest felt not of fire but a freezing sensation being pulled deep with in me.

Glinda continued to spread as her finger did circles. "Sisters, circle the Dragon and me." All the sisters strategically placed themselves so they were holding hands. My heart was in the middle of their circle. Again, Glinda chanted, now pouring the rest of the tar-like liquid on my chest.

The surrounding wind picked up, the leaves swirling us in a small tornado. Lighting struck above Glinda's head, all while blue smoke trailed around it. The lightning spat from the cloud, clenching the black matter and pulled my chest upward. The pulling was equivalent to have my vocal cords ripped from me so many years ago. My dragon roared in pain, remembering the pain I felt as a child, and he could do nothing. I could see his body wrapping around itself, rolling in a tantrum, trying to push the lightning away from my body. The continued pull could be felt through my chest and down to my toes. My dragon pulled on my ripped cords, trying to scream to stop, causing blood to spit from my mouth.

"We should stop. He's bleeding!" One witch yelled over the roaring wind and my screams. My fingers dug into the dirt, feeling it push up into my skin.

"No, like plant baring fruit, we rip it out. Prolonging it would only end in disaster!" The wind picked up, the bolt of light still pulling. Glinda began chanting again and her sisters joining her. The pain became too much, even my dragon couldn't pull on my cords. There was nothing left now. I was sure my dragon couldn't force my damaged cords to work for the rest of my life.

Sweat beaded up on my body, the black sludge that coated my chest was cleaned by the bolt pulling it away from my body. The pain subsided, causing a sigh to leave my lips. "This is interesting," Glinda said, panting. "All magic has a marker, a marker where you can replace the origin of the magic, but I see none here. We really won't know who cursed you." She silently cursed to herself until one last pull came from the light, pulling a red ball from my body.

No openings of wounds appeared on my chest. My hands finally released, I felt my chest from the pain I had felt earlier. It was gone and, in fact; I felt lighter than I had once before. The three witches stared at the red orb on the floor, scooping it up and putting it in a small caldron. "We will replace what it is made of, Glinda, and return to you." The three witches vanished in thin air, leaving the scene that was now wrecked with rocks, sticks and debris.

"Excellent job," she smiled. "Now, I want you to take a deep breath." Looking at her questioningly, she gave a bright smile. Taking in a large breath, I could smell Odessa as if she was standing right beside me. The warmth in my chest and the desire in my loins were unquestionable. I wanted to claim her. I wanted to hold her body next to me. Her smell, her touch, had made me become obsessed in a matter of seconds. My head darted from tree to tree, looking for my Fawn, my dragon clawing at the chest where the blockage of dark magic had sat.

"She isn't here," she smiled.

If Odessa wasn't here, I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I were in her presence. My beard tickled my chest as I glared at Glinda. It wasn't he most friendly but my facial expressions were limited. "I was right. She is your mate. You can smell her, feel your desire for her..." Clutching my chest once more, my dragon pushing into my chest causing to fall.

"Go to her, Creed. It's about damn time to sate that beast."

Not looking back, I barely stood at full height because I continued to trip over fallen branches. My excitement over powered my abilities to think and walk straight while my barely there smile took up the entirety the side of my face. I was out of the woods in near seconds. All was quiet and even the bonfire had been laid to rest, the smoke twisting up to the night sky. Running across the meadow, her smell only became stronger, causing my dragon to seep forward. He was trying to control my mind, a feeling he has never once done before.

Waiting for the pulley system of the platform, I gruffed in annoyance and released my claws. I climbed the entire tree where my Fawn lay sleeping. Each claw mark was quickly healed by the magic that live with in the trees. Once I pulled up, swinging the door open, Razak stuck out his tongue, cocking his head in worry. Clicking at him a few times for him to stay, I strode over to the bed. She was already awake, her elbow lifting her body off the large cushion.

My desire for her could no longer be held back. I had to take her, and I was going to do what my dragon has been wanting to do the past few hours. For me to sink my teeth into her neck. "Creed, are you alright?" Even her sleepy voice was erotic as she rubbed her eyes with her back of her hand.

Picking her up from the bed, I ran out the door. I would not mate with my Fawn in a strange place. Her place was in my nest that I had prepared for her. "Creed, what are you doing?" She whispered, not trying to wake the entire territory. "It's the middle of the night!" Odessa had slept off the remaining of the ambrosia, thank the gods, because I could not have her sleeping with what I was about to do.

My smoke twirled around my body, changing into my dragon as I jumped off the platform. Odessa didn't scream, just held onto my neck and slung herself right on top of me. She held on to the feather like hair on my back as tightly as she once done before. "Creed!" She squealed as I broke through the top of the trees of the territory. The moon was high in the sky as I journeyed us back to our cave, where I would take her as mine. Where she could yell and scream all she wanted in pleasure while I filled her with my seed.

Gods, she was my mate. All these years I cursed them, asked why they would even allow me to be born if I was to not have a mate. Only more questions continued to arise in my mind. Who would curse me, why deny me something so precious my mother had, but now was not the time. I would figure it out when I didn't have my mate strapped to my back, ready for me to take her.

Arriving back at the cave in record time, I ran down the entrance, my dragon shifting back into my human form, all while carrying Odessa. "How are you doing this!?" Her body clung to mine, afraid I would drop her. I would never do such a thing, not to my fragile little mate.

As we entered, it was dark. With one spit of the fire I lit the lantern on the table. It lit the room just enough so I could see her face, her body, and the reactions she would have while me and my dragon had our way with her.

"Would you stop!" She squealed, her voice frantic. "You are worrying me. Why are we back here?" Laying her gently on the bed, I kissed her passionately, she silenced only to return the favor, humming into my mouth. "Prince Charming, you have to tell me why we are back. Get the pen..." I pulled the vial from around my neck quickly, breaking the braided chain. It was dark green with a small cork on the top. I pecked her lips again and downed it all in one go. "What are you drinking!?" Odessa squealed again. "Let me get a piece of leather!" She tried to get up, but I only straddled her, waiting for the potion to coat my throat. It was foul tasting, but I would taste it over and over if it would work. Odessa squirmed beneath me, so I held both her hands above her head.

"I demand to know!" she huffed. Her brows knitted together. My dragon loved the feisty attitude she displayed.

Then I did it. I felt the air flow through my throat and out of my mouth. "Odessa," my smooth, deep voice came from my lips, surprising me. I rubbed my throat, now feeling the vibrations of my own cords.

Odessa stared at me, her mouth hanging open. "Creed? Did you just say my name?"

"Yes," my thumb brushed her cheek.

"You can speak!?" tears came to her eyes, both hands escaping from over her head, cupping my face. "Oh, say it again!"

"Odessa." I curled my mouth into a smile.

Odessa

The knot in my throat caused me not to speak. How ironic. He said my name, Creed said my name. The dream of him ever being able to do that just came true. It was so smooth, much smoother than anything I ever thought would leave his mouth for his appearance. It was gentle, warming and filled with so much love.

"I love you, Odessa," the water works came, tears gently tickling my cheeks. "Don't cry my Fawn, I hate to see you cry." My arms clutched around his neck, pulling him close to me.

"I love you, I love you," I repeated over and over. "How can this be? This is so wonderful!"

"It will only last for a while, my Little Fawn. I'll never get to speak after this night again," he rubbed his forehead with mine solemnly.

"I don't care. You said you loved me and I will repeat it in my mind for a thousand lifetimes." His gentle words continued to kiss my ears, telling me all the things I wanted to know. I didn't have to ask. His words flowed smoothly from his lips as he was just inches from mine.

"From the first day I found you, I called you my little Fawn." I stared up at him, still clutching to his chest. "I wanted to keep you, take you with me because I could not bear the thought of you being alone in the dark. My nights and days were long because of the loneliness I felt, but you turned that around as soon as you looked at me with those amethyst eyes. Those beautiful, amethyst eyes."

Creed laid me down on the mattress, his nose tracing around my neck. "From that day forward, I wanted you. I wanted you to be my companion because I felt a foreign feeling I couldn't explain that drew me to you. You made me curious and my dragon had already wanted to keep you by our side." Creed's nose traced my jaw, his fingers pulling away the ties and knots keeping my braids in.

"I did my best trying to keep you safe, healthy, and fed. I know I fall short of other dragons, Odessa, but I will do anything to keep you as mine to keep. You will get the most beautiful things, furs, dresses and the finest of foods from me. I'll replace the biggest jewels and gold that would rival any dragon's hoard. Just give me the time and I will plant treasures at your feet." Creed crept down to my feet, kissing each one.

I stopped him, sitting on my knees, pulling him up on his. His chest was brawny, larger than any man, slightly brushed with his dark hair. He was no man but a dragon, a dragon that loved me for who I was.

My finger trailed a tiny tear, leaving his left eye. "Oh Creed, all I need is you. I don't care about anything else. Not gold or jewels, I just want your love and your promise to never leave me because you don't think you are good enough, because you are. You are too good for this world. I just worry that you will replace your true mate out there one day and would want you to be happy, Creed. I would let you leave because I love you that much." Creed sighed a heavy breath, causing my heart to squeeze. It was true, what if whatever spell he was under only revealed he had someone made for him all along?

My heart instantly strangled itself.

Creed's eyes rose, his lip curling. "I'm afraid I can never leave you, because you, Odessa, are my true mate."

My breathing stopped, my hands gripping his tight biceps. "What?" I said breathlessly.

"It is true, my Little Fawn. The black magic has been stripped from me, blocking our mating bond. You are my true mate, not that blood-sucking vampire. I am yours, as you are mine." Creed's nose went right to the crook of my neck, sucking on his favorite place. The purple and blue hickies of my neck will be a permanent tattoo on my shoulder if he kept this up.

And I'm alright with that.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" My heavy breathing halted, his hands tangling in my now loosened hair.

"Your smell, it smells like a bright summer day of a citrus fruit orchard. It reminds me of happiness, the sun on my scales, and of a bright future. The closer you are, the stronger it becomes. My dragon can feel you from miles away. I can feel your feelings, you worry, your love, your desire." My face heated brightly.

"Most of all, I can smell your want. The arousal that begs for me to put your taste upon my tongue, your teats begging to be sucked and, most of all, my shaft to be buried into your beautiful flower. My dragon demands that I take you and make you ours."

For a dragon who had so few words before, he certainly is poetic.

I swallowed the spit in my mouth. Creed's hand continued to pull me closer to his body, feeling the outline of his,.. ahem, thingy. "Does that mean you will make love to me right now?" I whispered. Creed's desire pushed into my core. I moaned, pulling on his black hair. His right hand trailed from the side of my body to my waist and down my exposed thigh.

"Yes, and so much more. My Little Fawn, will you accept me as your mate?"

"A thousand times, yes."